BCCI has done some cost control but there has been no pay cut or lay-off: Arun Dhumal

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled the world to come to a standstill. Over the last three months, the world has been grappling against the coronavirus debacle. Along with human existence, the COVID-19 outbreak has also affected the sporting industry.

Major boards have incurred huge losses due to no cricketing action during the pandemic. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also suffered losses following the indefinite postponement of the IPL 2020. The much-awaited tournament, which was initially slated to start from March 29, has currently been postponed in the wake of the pandemic.

Recently, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had also stated that the board will suffer a loss of Rs 4000 crore if IPL 2020 gets cancelled eventually. Hence, to avoid the losses, the BCCI is hopeful to stage the cash-rich league in the latter stage of the year.

We have cut cost on other fronts like travel, hospitality: Arun Dhumal

Talking about pay cuts and lay-offs amid the pandemic, Arun Dhumal, board’s treasurer, has revealed that BCCI is taking cost-cutting measures. However, the board has not done any pay cuts or lay-offs so far.

“The BCCI has done some cost control after the elected office-bearers took charge last October. The process started before the pandemic. But there has been no pay cut or lay-off as of now. We have cut cost on other fronts like travel, hospitality, etc,” said Dhumal as quoted by the New Indian Express.

However, according to Dhumal, the board will have to assess the situation and take a fresh call if the IPL 2020 gets cancelled. “IPL not happening will have a huge impact and we will assess the situation before taking a fresh call,” added Dhumal.

According to recent reports, the BCCI is hoping to stage the much-awaited IPL 2020 in the September-October and October-November window. If the T20 World Cup in Australia gets pushed further due to the pandemic, the BCCI might consider hijacking the window for organizing IPL 2020. The ICC is yet to take a final call on the future of the T20 World Cup but there are high chances of the tournament being postponed.

According to the government’s latest guidelines, sporting events can be organized behind closed doors. However, the BCCI is expected to take a call when the COVID-19 situation gets under control. The players, who have been away from the field since March, will also need some time to train and get in the groove.